The vampire and the knight
by Loving yesterday
Summary: Warning:AU and OCs. Mikaru and Kassari were two very different people wanting the same thing. That thing arrives in the form of Cross Academy. How will this affect the Vampire Knight verse? And will the forbidden be finally real? Kaname bashing and Zeki
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

A midnight blue carriage rolled up to the front of the magnificent cross academy just as the sun was dawning. Clouds grazed the peaks of the highest dormitory towers of this prestigious school. The door to the carriage was flung open and a petite girl jumped out.

"We're finally here." Mikaru said, hoping of the carriage and languidly stretching her arms. She had crystal blue eyes with pitch black hair that fell to the end of her shoulder blades. She wore the day class blazer and skirt only with the blood red ribbon adorning a headband instead of being tied around her neck. Mikaru glanced back at the carriage as another girl strolled out. She was similar in build to Mikaru but her hair was longer and her eyes were deep violet instead of the sapphire blue that made up Mikaru's orbs. She wore her uniform without adjustment unlike Mikaru and held a black tow bag in her left hand.

"Kassari, hurry up!" Mikaru yelled at her friend who shielded her eyes from the sun.

"It's not my fault that I'm sensitive to sunlight. You may be a hunter but I'm a vampire, remember?" Kassari asked rhetorically.

"Shush." Mikaru whispered harshly to her friend. "We don't want to be found out before we even get there."

Kassari nodded quickly, ashamed that she had spoken so carelessly.

Kassari was a vampire, at the very peak of the aristocrats that was sometimes even said to possess the abilities of purebloods. Kassari was one of those special ones who could even frolic around in sunlight. She could've been transferred into the night class but she felt further scrutiny would be placed on her. Mikaru on the other hand was a hunter. She wielded two katanas as her weapons of choice and she had an unusual amount of vampire genes in her body, making her age at a rate similar to vampires, even giving her the ability to stop the wrath if time. She too, had entered this school under the guise of a normal girl. They were an odd pair, not many hunters and vampires would even consider conspiring together but they had been friends for a long time and were both placed under a huge amount of pressure, being exceptional for both races. So, in order to escape that, they came to cross academy. Not on a mission but to try and live normally under the guise of being sisters.

Kassari tossed a black camping bag to Mikaru from the carriage.

"We need to get settled into our dorms." she stated matter-of-factly. Kassari then walked through the gates with Mikaru trailing behind her. She couldn't help but admit the place was impressive, even though she had been surrounded my beautiful and intricate things all her life.

"Do you think we'll be fine?" Mikaru whispered into her 'sister's' ear.

Kassari sighed. Mikaru kept on bringing up the doubts in her mind. "Don't worry, as long as we keep to ourselves, no one will question us. Anyway, aren't you usually the reckless one?" She added on with a coy smirk.

They had just entered the courtyard when a petite brunette jumped in front if them. Mikaru let out a small yelp which Kassari chuckled at. The girl wore the day class uniform which showed a few signs of disrepair. She had medium length brown hair with doe like eyes of a similar colour. She tugged at an arm band on her left arm and yelled. "You shouldn't be out of your dorms! That's detention for both of you tomorrow."

Mikaru stepped in front of Kassari and attempted to reason with her. "We were just-" she was all she managed to get out but the girl interrupted with a wave if her hand.

"No excuses! You know the rules!"

"But-" Kassari tried this time but was cut off again as well.

"No!" she yelled this time, her face going slightly red. "Why must you fan girls be so persistent."

"Because they aren't fan girls Yuuki." A silky voice came from a near by tree. Mikaru and Kassari both turned their heads in the direction and saw a boy there. His silver hair was coupled with an enchanting pair of lavender eyes. His day class uniform was worn ruggedly with his tie tied loosely. He was quite tall and held a gun casually in his right hand. He leapt down gracefully and landed next to Yuuki. Kassari hid her vampiric aura from him once she saw the bloody rose gun and one look into this eyes and she knew he wouldn't hesitate to use it on a vampire.

He turned to Yuuki. "They're new students, the headmaster told me to watch out for them."

Yuuki pouted and glared at him childishly. "Why does the headmaster trust you with things but not me, Zero?"

"Maybe it's because I'm mature enough to handle it." He retorted teasingly, messing up her hair. Yuuki immediately swiped him away and stormed off, leaving Zero to sigh at her theatrics.

"The office is this way." his said motioning to the duo. Kassari and Mikaru followed him through the hallways, where people in their dormitories were just starting to stir and a few glances were shot at them as they headed towards the headmaster's office. Zero was opening the door nonchalantly just as a loud bang was heard, causing both Kassari and Mikaru to flinch. They peaked inside nervously and saw Yuuki standing over a large desk. Behind the desk, sitting in a plush chair, was a man with yellow, blonde hair that reminded Mikaru of the dawning sun that could be seen in the large glass window behind him. He had tied his hair into a low ponytail that looked astonishingly good on him. Rectangular framed glasses rested gently on his nose and a furry kapi sat neatly on his head. His astonishing dress sense managed to pry a giggle from Mikaru as Kassari bit her lip to avoid doing the same. It involved a large number if coats, so many, that it was impossible to tell whether he was fat or thin. The floor was carpeted simply with a pure white rug and the walls were adorned by bookshelves.

" Headmaster! Why do you consider me less trustworthy as Zero! Why do you hide things from me!" Yuuki protest loudly, banging her fist on the table for emphasis. Mikaru jerked involuntarily again at the sound but she could tell that the headmaster, too, was becoming afraid of his student. "Well you see Yuuki, I do trust you it's just that Zero wanted a turn to hit on girls -" He was cut off when Zero's fist collided with his face. The man fell comically backwards, his chair tilting back for an agonizing long time before crashing against the floor with a plume of dust rising up. Zero threw a death glare at the man who lay partially unconscious on the floor. "Don't embarrass me just because you can't come up with a half decent excuse." he said coldly, before leaving the room and slamming the door behind me. Kassari chucked softly at the destruction before her whilst Mikaru ran to the man to check the damage done. However, the needlessness became eminent as he sat and straightened himself up, as if nothing had happened.

"I'm sorry for my son's violent streak." he said, extending a hand to Mikaru as Kassari joined her friend, standing in front of the desk, next to Yuuki. "My name is Kaien Cross but you have to call me head master in public." he said, winking at the pair, causing Kassari to raise an eyebrow. "Anyway, this is my adopted daughter Yuuki and that was my adopted son Zero." Kaien leaned in closer to the girls and whispered into their ears. "Don't worry about his attitude; he has a weak spot for pretty girls, especially her." He gestured towards Yuuki whose face lit up.

"Stop joking around!" Yuuki interrupted, slamming her palm down on the table causing a large tear to form in the wood. Appearing oblivious to this, she continued. "Don't you have to interview them or something?"

A light bulb seemed to go off in Kaien's head as he leaned back into his chair and put in a serious face. "Okay, you have passed the exam but you still have to go through the interview. Who are you two?" he asked. Kassari felt Mikaru push her forward and she turned around to argue but when she felt Kaien's gaze on her, she decided there wasn't really any point. "I'm Kassari Saiken." she started, using the alias her and Mikaru had prepared in the carriage. "I'm fifteen and have been at Tankuetsu academy but didn't enjoy it there so when I heard about this school, I decided to enrol here. My mother was Hisana Jundo and my father was Shin Saiken. My sister is Mikaru and we are fraternal twins." This wasn't completely a lie. She and Mikaru were born on the same day, January 24th. "I have been aggregating A's since first grade and I was part of an extension program at Tankuetsu academy. I don't play any musical instruments and have no particular hobbies except reading." Kassari finished and glanced at Kaien who nodded his approval and Kassari stepped back and Mikaru walked up. Kassari watched her facial expression carefully as she saw a careful mask forming over her friend's face. Mikaru stared seeping into Kaien's eyes and began. "I'm Mikaru Saiken. You know my background after listening to my sister's speech and I have the same grades and extension activities as my sister. The only difference is that I play flute and I enjoy writing instead of reading. And please don't get us mixed up." She bowed almost mockingly to Kaien and walked back. She saw a smile light up on Yuuki's face and realized she had probably heard more than her fair share of long people drawling on about how awesome they were in their interviews. Mikaru gave a thumbs up to Kassari who felt like face palming her friend but couldn't help the smile that forced its way onto her face. Even Kaien struggled to suppress a smile, which contorted his face strangely.

"Well, I guess it's too late to get your books and stuff so you can take the day off," Suddenly a grin came onto his face and something evil glinted in his eye. "And," he added in a cunning tone, "You might just see the night class."

Kassari paled a little but managed to get out. "Night class?"

Yuuki nodded in response. "Let's see if we can catch a glimpse of them." Kaien said. "Yuuki, show them to the sun dormitory and then introduce them to the night class. See which ones get a new fan girl." With that, he dismissed them from the office, leaving Kassari and Mikaru thoroughly confused as to how to react.

Yuuki sighed exasperatedly at her father's antics before gesturing to the both of then. "If you unpack quickly, we can see them before even the others can." Yuuki then dashed off, leaving Mikaru and Kassari to catch up. When they arrived, Yuuki pulled out a pair of keys and handed one to each of them.

"These are your dorm keys and you better not lose them or headmaster gets very mad." Yuuki shuddered as if remembering some bad memory but shook it off. "Well, I'll leave you to it. Be out in five minutes otherwise you'll miss them."

Yuuki then sprinted off down the hall way, disappearing from sight moments later. Kassari sighed and pulled the door open. The room was relatively large, with two single beds laid against the furthered wall with a bedside table in between them. The beds were laid out with white sheets and two pillows. On the bedside table stood a small lamp as well as a phone. To the right was a large panelled glass window with a window seat. The view showed them how high they were and a blood red sun painted the clouds a surprisingly mellow orange. To the left was an ensuite complete with two sinks a shower, toilet and bath. There was also a walk in closet but that held neither girl's attention for long. Mikaru dropped her bed and fell against the soft covers of the bed.

"It's been so long since I was able to relax like this." She turned to Kassari who sat taunt on the edge of the bed. She saw the worried look on her face and crawled over to her best friend. "Come on, we're safe here Kassari. If my research is correct, the vampire without fangs is protecting this school, no one will even think of us being here." Mikaru reached for her companion's hand but it was jerked away.

"You know we can never be safe as long as there are my father's spies around looking for me." Kassari stood up and picked up both their bags. "I'll pack these away before Yuuki takes us to see the night class."

Mikaru sighed. "Why? Do you really want to see other vampires?"

Kassari paused for a minute considering her friend's words. "Yes, so I can know whether I can trust them."

Kassari then disappeared into the walk in closet. Mikaru sighed again and walked over to the window seat and stared at the sun which was almost fully in the sky. She couldn't help but share Kassari's worries. They were two very precious people from both sides and there would definitely be accusations floating around about kidnappings. Mikaru drew her legs closer to her body and wrapped her arms around them. Kassari walked back in the room and joined her on the seat.

"What do you think of Yuuki?" Mikaru asked her.

Kassari let the silence stretch for a while before answering. "I'm honestly not sure. She appears fully human but there's something different about her, something I'm not sure I want to know."

Mikaru let out a deep breath. "She seems okay and genuinely friendly. What about her dear brother Zero?"

Kassari looked at Mikaru with an amused look. "You're the hunter, you should know what that 'tattoo' means."

Mikaru turned away to face the sunset. "Human that's turned into a vampire and been contained. Also has an anti vampire gun. Wonder who gave him that?" Then she added in a soft voice as if this weren't joined onto the other sentence."He shouldn't be here.

Kassari let out a laugh. "That gun is a bit of a worry. But neither should we be here and look where we are." Mikaru threw the smile back at her. For a moment, their friendship seemed almost normal. A soft knock came at the door and Mikaru left to answer it. Standing there was Yuuki who grabbed Mikaru and Kassari before dragging them down to the class rooms.

"This is a once in a life time treat from the disciplinary committee. You get to see the night class!" Yuuki yelled jovially as if she had just given them a wonderful present. Kassari stiffened slightly but tried not to show the doubt she had about seeing other vampires, especially since there was rumoured to be a pureblood there. As they rounded a corner, in front of them stood several people. Vampires, Kassari thought, hiding her aura. She realized that they were all aristocrats, feeling their auras as her gaze flickered over them. She passed several without much notice and then she suddenly felt her heart beat race. Kassari stared at a tall brown hair man. He wore the night class uniform pristinely and in his hand he held several books casually. Amethyst coloured eyes lit up his otherwise sullen face. On first glance there was nothing noticeable about him, just perhaps a little too good looking for reality but Kassari saw more. Mikaru appeared to have seen the same thing. "Pureblood" She mouthed to Kassari and she nodded in agreement. Yuuki on the other hand, didn't seem at all bothered by the suffocating aura that he emitted. "Kaname senpai!" These are the two new day class girls!" Yuuki ran up to Kaname and he affectionately patted her head. Unlike with Zero, she didn't swipe at his hand. Instead, she blushed, light pink staining her pale skin.

"I'm just glad you came to see me." He told her and the pink turned into a bright red and a smile lit up his face ominously. Yuuki turned to face Kassari and Mikaru. "Come on! This is the leader of the moon dormitory, Kaname senpai." They shot each other a nervous look before walking towards him. "

Um, hi." Mikaru mumbled, trying not to show how much she detested him with the classic nature of a hunter.

Unfortunately, Kassari's feelings were similar so there was nothing but tension between the three.

"Don't you have to go back to your dorm Kaname?" Zero said coldly, walking out from behind the shadows. His gaze locked with Kaname's at the hand on Yuuki's head.

"Well see you tomorrow, Miss disciplinary committee." With that, Kaname walked off, strolling down the halls, leaving Yuuki staring after him like a love struck puppy. Kassari saw Zero's pained expression.

"Don't you three have classes to go to?" he asked, his usual unemotional demeanour returning as if the hurt she had seen in his face a moment before was merely an illusion.

Yuuki shook her head in reply. "Headmaster said that I had to show the twins around school and since it's too late to get their books, we get the day off!" She looked exceptionally pleased to be skipping out on classes.

Zero smiled a little. "If you keep doing this, you'll never get any smarter." Yuuki pouted childishly and attacked Zero playfully.

Mikaru watched on in amusement. "This sure is one weird school, and we just might fit in.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Kassari and Mikaru had been at Cross Academy for two weeks. They were fitting in very well and had become fast friends with Yuuki and even partially acquainted with the emotionless Zero. They had also met up with Yuuki's best friend, Yori. They were currently in class, listening to the teacher talk about Sir Issac Newton's three laws of motion. Or in Yuuki's case, sleeping through the lecture.

Mikaru, who was sitting next to her, was discreetly shaking her. "Yuuki!" she whispered loudly into her friend's ear. "Wake up!" Yuuki just brushed Mikaru's hand away.

"Just leave her be." Kassari told Mikaru, who her ignored and continued pestering Yuuki.

"Yuuki, Mikaru and Kassari, may I ask is my speech that boring that you feel entitled to fall asleep?" Kassari froze for a moment but she snapped out of it to kick Mikaru under the desk before she could spout out a retort. Yuuki still lay fast asleep on the desk though. The teacher walked up to the table and slammed his palm down on the table, jolting Yuuki from her slumber.

"What did you say?" she asked, yawning between words. The teacher glared down at Yuuki.

"My detentions do not seem to affect you Miss Cross so how about you and your friends go and clean out the store room today?" Yuuki gaped at him wordlessly while Mikaru groaned, whereas Kassari simply stared ahead with her jaw locked and a look of pure fury on her face.

The store room was a mess. It was situated in the edge of the school, next to a dense forest and no one had been in it for years. Much like the forest, the store had been neglected and many a dare was to go and enter it. Rumours spread about mysterious knocking while in there and unexplainable whispering that spoke of their demise.

As the bell sounded, Kassari, Mikaru and Yuuki headed towards the store room with cleaning supplies in hand.

"Don't fall asleep in class next time Yuuki," Mikaru teased. "Because if you do, I'm not waking you up."

Even though this was a joke, Kassari saw Yuuki pale visibly. Usually Yori would be the one waking Yuuki up but Yori had been sent home in order to get acquainted with her fiancé, whom she secretly detested. So Yuuki had been left stranded in class, and Kassari had the feeling this was only the first of many detentions left to come due to their friend's love for dream land.

As they approached the store, an ominous breeze blew through the school, sending shivers up the girls' spines and only added to the unease that they held.

"If I ever make it out of here, I'll never sleep in class again." Yuuki swore as she pulled the school blazer tighter around her.

"Like that's gonna happen." Kassari mumbled under her breath.

Mikaru opened the door to the store and the trio realized the amount of pain they would be in. While appearing to be nothing but a small hut in the outside, It was in fact, equipped with a once spacious basement that was now crowded with school supplies. The top floor was filled with spilt piles of gym equipment with enough room for about two people in between each stack. Kassari groaned at the thought of the punishment but steeled her grip on the broom and began to sweep the dust and debris on the floor to a corner. Mikaru pulled out a dust pan and began gathering the dust and dumping it in a bag. Yuuki started stacking the equipment that had fallen on the floor but the breeze had turned into a strong gale and kept upsetting the pile she was working on. Getting frustrated, she forced the door shut and bolted it from the inside, plunging the room into darkness.

"Yuuki!" Kassari snapped, staring at her with a death glare. "Why do we have to work in darkness?" Though she could see perfectly no human could and she hated purposely bumping into things. Kassari felt Mikaru's hand on her shoulder and felt her finger tracing letters on her palm.

I think there's something in here, the message read. Kassari looked at Mikaru with worried eyes and traced a reply.

Is Yuuki in danger? Mikaru shrugged. It might just be my paranoia. As she was about to respond, she heard Yuuki give a triumphant cry and a second later, she saw the glare of a bright torch hit her right in the eyes.

"Lower the torch Yuuki or you'll end up blinding us." Mikaru said, covering her eyes against the bright light.

"Oops, sorry guys." Yuuki chuckled softly and they resumed with their work. They had completely cleared out the top floor when Kassari saw Yuuki tugging at an ancient steel door.

"What are you doing?" she asked, directing the beam to the door. It was rusted to a dull orange and judging from the way Yuuki was basically leaning down on the handle, even the bolt must've rusted. Mikaru sighed and help Yuuki push down on the handle. After a few minutes of shoving at the handle, the bolt finally gave way and Yuuki dragged the door open. "I guess this counts as part of the storeroom too." she said softly.

The basement was huge. Piles upon piles of things made an almost never ending labyrinth. The made out pathways were only just big enough for Kassari to squeeze through. Dust covered every possible surface and it seemed no one had touched this room in years. Only adding to the ominous aura of the place, a single LED torch swung precariously on a length of wire. As Kassari set out along one of the passages with Yuuki trailing behind her, Mikaru swore she heard the thud of padded boots against the concrete floor. Dismissing it as her imagination, she followed after the two.

They were about ten meters into the maze when Yuuki sighed deeply. "I think we should split up. We would get it done a lot faster." Without waiting for a reply, she set off in a completely different direction from them and vanished from sight.

"Shouldn't we go after her?" Kassari asked, worried about her new friend's safety. Mikaru shook her head but Kassari could tell she had her own doubts about this. Sighing deeply, she continued sweeping the isles. When they had finally settled their worries as nothing more than the fear brought by the rumours, an ear splitting scream filled the air. Mikaru and Kassari turned to face each other, both coming to the same conclusion: "Yuuki!"

The pair raced down the passages, splitting up in an attempt to cover more ground. Another scream filled the air, sending another shot of adrenaline through her body. Mikaru raced around a corner and the sight she saw made repulsed her. A level E vampire towered over Yuuki. He had slightly curly brown hair and his skin was moulted strangely. His finger nails were long and sharp and from his smile, two fangs were visible. His brown hair was well kept and his suit was in a decent condition but the red tint in his eyes told Mikaru that there was nothing stopping him from draining Yuuki of her blood. The only thing separating them was a thin rod on which the vampire's hands were firmly resting on. Sparks flew at the contact but that didn't seem to hinder him at all. In a split second, the rod flew from Yuuki's hands and clattered to the floor behind him.

"You smell so...delicious." he sung, closing in on Yuuki who backed away slowly. Not thinking for another second, Mikaru slipped both katanas from under the sleeves of her blazer and charged at the vampire. Pushing Yuuki out of the way, she dragged her katana across the monster's chest, blood spewing from the cut. It wasn't a fatal wound but it sent the vampire reeling nonetheless. Mikaru looked up, half expecting him to be doubling over but what she saw was pure happiness forming in what little sanity he had left.

"Oooooooh another pretty little victim to feed from, today's my lucky day." His voice was silky but it sickened her to the core.

"Crazy masochist." Mikaru murmured, running again throwing her body weight forward and directing the sword towards his chest. The vampire raised his hand half heartily, expecting the sword to clash against his armoured hand but the metal dug deep into his flesh, lightning exploding deep in his body. The hiss of burning skin filled the air as Mikaru aimed her other katana at his heart but he managed to dodge, dislodging the first blade from his arm at the same time.

"Stupid anti vampire weapons." he whispered in anger at first but then the twisted smile returned to his face. "On the other hand, I've always wanted to try hunter blood." Mikaru froze at the statement but refused to let that show on her face.

"I refuse to lose to a low level E like you." She said, drawing her sword forward and pointing it towards his head. He smirked at this and prepared to attack. He then ran towards her with great speed but she could track his movements. Just as he was about to collide with her, he vaulted over her. By instinct, she twirled around, ready to stab him but saw her sword aimed at Yuuki. Mikaru's eyes widened at the fear Yuuki showed on her face and the triumphant look the vampire had on his.

"You ain't going to stab me unless you go through her, so how about we arrange a deal? I'll let her go if you let me be on my way." he said this with confidence covering his voice, as if he was sure that there was no way she could say no. However Mikaru merely smirked. His face twisted up in confusion.

"I'm sorry," Mikaru said sweetly. "But I don't make deals with monsters." she suddenly stared upwards. "Kassari! NOW!" A dark shadow split from the top of a pile and jumped, landing like a leopardess about to ambush her prey. Kassari stood up, her violet eyes blazing with anger. Using her as a distraction, Mikaru grabbed Yuuki off the vampire and leapt away from them.

"I don't appreciate you threatening any of my friends." she said in a soft voice that sounded more frightening than any shouting could have.

Kassari turned to Mikaru. "Please cover Yuuki's eyes." she asked before turning her attention back to the vampire. "You are going to get what I think a level E deserves." Her violet eyes were deepening and a blood red tint covered them. Kassari raised her hand calmly and for a moment, everything was silent. Then a fire began to spread all over the vampire's body, the flames climbing up his legs and consuming him. He screeched in pain as fire licked over every inch of his body.

"Traitor! How could you do this to one of your own kind!"

Kassari shrugged, showing the emotionless side of her. "Whether killed by a hunter or a vampire, an execution is an execution." The flames died down, flickering brightly for a moment over the ashes of the vampire but then disappearing. Kassari stared at the remains for a little while before heading over to see how Yuuki was doing.

"Are you okay?" she asked, unsure of how Yuuki would react after seeing who they both were. Kassari saw the tears roll from those innocent eyes and guilt filled her heart. So it is impossible for a vampire and a human to be friends once they see our true side, she thought, saddened by the idea losing her friend.

"How could you not tell me?" Yuuki yelled at both of them causing Kassari and Mikaru to look at each other in confusion.

"What?" Kassari asked again, just to make sure she wasn't hearing things.

Yuuki huffed childishly. "I said how could you not tell me you were a hunter and you were a vampire. Aren't friends supposed to be able to tell each other everything?"

Kassari stumbled over her words for a minute. "You mean you don't care that we are vampire and hunter?" she asked dazed.

Yuuki rolled her eyes like she had just asked the most obvious thing in the world. "Duh, why would my opinion change because of what you guys are?" Kassari was amazed at how this girl could just openly accept them both and she couldn't help but grin for that moment.

"But," Yuuki continued and suddenly causing all Kassari's joy to disappear. "Why would you want to join the day class? We have a night class for vampires." Kassari let out a breath, she hated explaining her actions to anybody, including Mikaru; it just never seemed to come out right. She also had tendency of making long explanations and no-one ever bothered to listen for longer then two sentences.

After a long silence, Kassari gave in at last. "Mikaru and I needed to get away from everything." she said, attempting to make this explanation as short as possible though it greatly annoyed her to give a blunt explanation. "Being constantly under the pressure of performing well and knowing that all it takes is one slip for everything to fall apart."

"Well, why didn't you say so?" Yuuki asked naively. "I won't tell anyone. I'm a guardian, I'm supposed to protect people with their problems and you guys are no exception!" she smiled sweetly as Kassari helped her up. She dusted herself off and looked around.

"We've still got to clean up the store, not to mention there's a new pile of dust to sweep up." Kassari reminded and Yuuki looked depressed at the idea of the work. Kassari smiled wondering how on earth someone could accept vampires and hunters yet work seemed so foreign to her.

"Well," Mikaru began, a cunning glint in her eye, "No one will check down here anyway. Let's just leave it." But before Kassari could object, Yuuki butted in.

"Oh my gosh!" Yuuki yelled, the sound echoing around the basement. "I forgot that we have parfait for desert today!" Without another word, Yuuki raced off through the labyrinth.

"Are you sure she's fifteen?" Kassari jokingly asked Mikaru.

"Looks can be so deceiving." Was the only reply she got as Mikaru followed Yuuki up and out of the store. Kassari waited for a little while before gathering the abandoned cleaning supplies and heading out. As she locked the door to the store room, she heard a rustling. She ignored it and finished securing the half a million security precautions Kaien insisted on having on their equipment. Kassari picked up the bucket with the supplies and walked off, but just before she walked back to the main building, she paused.

"I hope you have other things to do in your life besides stalking Yuuki."

Kassari continued her trip back to the school, leaving Zero astounded as to how she could've known he was there. He had hidden in the tree behind the shed so they wouldn't have seen him unless they were deliberately looking for him. Confusion crossed over his lilac eyes though his emotionless mask remained. Once he was certain no one was around, he leapt down from the tree. The chilly evening breeze rustled his silver hair and he pondered over the words the new girl Kassari had said. He smirked and pulled his hand over his face to hide his eyes.

"How can I not follow her when she is the reason for my existence?"

He let his hand drop to his side and saw his own reflection in a puddle of water. His lavender eyes looked almost exactly like Kassari's, red tinted: the sign of a vampire about to use his powers or a vampire's lust of one thing. Blood.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

A week had passed and another month was here, bringing the winter chill with it. School was in its waning phases and even the most diligent students no longer had the attention span that teachers desired. Fortunately for Kassari and Mikaru, Yuuki had been faithful to her promise and had not fallen asleep in class. The bell had rung signalling the end of the day's lessons and the stampede to get out was even greater than usual. Yuuki shoved several girls aside in order to get to the moon dormitory in time to 'Protect' the night class. Mikaru followed Yuuki, holding her school bag which she had forgotten.

"I'll see you at the dorm!" Mikaru called out before disappearing among the tide of girls. Kassari sighed. She never understood what the day class girls found so amazing about the night class. True, they were better looking than the day class males but looks didn't make the world turn.

Kassari finally stood up and looked around the classroom. The clock's minute hand pointed to the twelve and the hour hand pointed to the three. The plain wooden desks were lined up in rows of three down a slope. At the end of the classroom, was a whiteboard on which many diagrams were scribbled in faded black marker. It was like that in every classroom, plain and undistinguishable from the next. And it bored her to the point of tears. She grabbed her bag and glanced around the room and was astonished at who she saw. The teacher had been as eager to get out of the room as the students and had left but that wasn't very hard to predict. What surprised her was that Zero was still in the room. He sat at the very back of the class, glaring at the white board absentmindedly.

"Hey, Zero." she yelled to him. Zero turned his gaze to her. "Aren't you supposed to be helping Yuuki with the patrols?" She asked and saw Zero practically jump out of his chair.

"Shit." he yelled, grabbing his coat and bag before dashing out the front door.

"Wait!" Kassari shouted, following him through the suffocating crowd, trying to keep in sight of the silver haired man that was her target. They arrived at the front of the moon dormitory and Kassari was surprised to find the place silent as if the normally raving fans were hypnotized. Kassari forced her way through the mass and when she came to the road, she almost found herself hypnotized too. A sleek white carriage drawn by white horses had appeared in the courtyard in front of the moon dormitories. A butler dressed in white stepped out of the front. He had dark black hair and red eyes. He pulled open the door and out stepped a fragile looking girl. Her blonde hair cascaded down to her waist in curls. Her light blue eyes were the colour of ice and she looked like a heroine out of a Shakespeare novel. She wore a plain white dress with a high collar and the skirt flaring out at the knees. She took the butler's hand and allowed him to lead her down the carriage steps. As soon as she set foot on the ground, Kassari felt a telepathic message swim through her head.

"All vampires come to me. I am your princess and I will take care of you. Come." the voice was sweetened to a sickly point but Kassari couldn't help but feel the urge to comply. The rational part of her was screaming out not to give into the desire. Kassari gripped her forehead as a splitting headache erupted in her mind. Gritting her teeth in hate, she decided to move away from the pureblood who currently dominated her attention. As Kassari backed away, she bumped into Zero.

"What's wrong?" he asked surprised. He had never seen Kassari this disgruntled before. She shook him off and continued to walk back to the dormitory. "Kassari-" Zero began but was cut off by Yuuki and Mikaru.

"Zero!" Yuuki yelled, Zero blocking his ears to spare his hearing from her 'wrath'. "Where were you? I thought the fan girls had finally gotten the better off you." Yuuki smiled but she noticed Kassari walking off a minute later. "What happened to her-" Yuuki was cut off by a worried Mikaru.

"You and Zero better get back to your job. I'll look after Kassari okay?" Not waiting for a reply, Mikaru took off after her best friend. She followed the footprints left behind after Kassari had run through a forest in a desperate bid to get somewhere. The forest was dead at this time of the year, all the leaves lying in a carpet on the floor. A cold breeze whirled around her, lifting some of the leaves up in a storm. As she made her way further in, Mikaru realized that this was just a short cut to get to the sun dormitories.

"So this is how she always got back so fast." she said to no one in particular. A muted thump caught her attention and she saw a flash of black against the golden of the leaves. "Kassari!" Mikaru screamed, sprint towards her friend who was struggling to stand.

"Stupid pureblood" Kassari muttered, leaning against a tree for support as Mikaru helped her to her feet. "What's another one of them doing here?" She shook her head and stared at the state of Kassari. Her jet black hair was falling in front of her face and a few leaves lay among the strands from her recent fall. Her uniform was crumpled and dirt stains were evident in the skirt. However, the most startling change was the amount of pain in her deep purple eyes. Mikaru was so used to seeing her friend in control, only the tiniest portion of her emotions ever showed on her facade.

"Come on," Mikaru said softly, "let's go back to the dormitory."

Kassari stumbled back to their dorm, ignoring the looks given to her by fellow students. As Mikaru opened the door, Kassari threw herself onto her singe bed and allowed her self a moment of peace. As soon as she had gotten into the forest, the girl's voice had grown softer, soft enough that she could just ignore it all together. But that's not what she wanted to do. Kassari went through the girl's thoughts but didn't get very far when she felt something repelling her. Not having enough will to fight it, she had collapsed. Kassari closed her eyes and felt extremely tired, despite the fact that she'd normally be wide awake right now. She felt Mikaru sit on the bed and pull the covers over her.

"Be sure to tell me about the pureblood." was all she was able to get out before she couldn't help but let sleep overtake her.

It was sunset by the time Kassari woke up. Mikaru was no where to be seen. She pulled herself out of bed and dragged herself to the bathroom to wake herself up. The tiles in the place were as white as they were one month ago when she had first seen this place. Kassari warmed up the water before stepping in and letting it wash over her skin. Reaching for the shampoo, Kassari began methodically massaging it in. It felt good to do something systematic after the mental battle she had. Next is the soap, she reminded herself silently. After finishing with her shower, Kassari pulled on a clean set of the uniform and wrapped a towel around her head before sitting on the window seat. The orange sun streamed through the glass and painted the carpet a matching hue. The olden day buildings which made up Cross academy felt like slightly nostalgic for Kassari. She hadn't been born in the sixteenth century but her grandmother had and she had been more than willing to finally have a grandchild who was willing to gain her memories. Kassari closed her eyes and recalled one of her favourite ones.

It was the winter festival and the folk of the village were building a huge bonfire for the celebration. Her grandmother, Matsuri, who was named after celebrations, was talking with all her noble friends when a boy came up to them. He offered them each a chance to light the great bonfire at the festival. Being the snobs they were, most immediately turned down the offer but when it came to Matsuri's turn, she looked into the eyes of the young boy and she couldn't bring herself to say no. Despite all the criticism, Matsuri went to the festival, shunned by all her friends. When the time came the light the fire to signal the dancing, Matsuri felt something in her heart waver. She thought about how her friends would treat her if she lit the fire. They would see her as a commoner despite being extremely rich. But then she remembered the little boy's face and she immediately threw the torch into the pile of wood. The flames quickly ate through the branches and within no time, the whole structure was ablaze. There was an immense cheering and Matsuri had never been prouder of herself. Kassari felt the joy her grandmother had when she stared down from her room to look at the bonfire and it was a similar view to this. She was snapped out of her daydream by the opening of the door. Mikaru was standing there, holding two trays with food on them.

"Feeling better?" she asked, handing one to Kassari who took it gratefully and began inspecting the contents. There was a main dish of rice with some curry chicken and chilli in a separate bowl. There was also a bowl filled to the brim with miso soup. How Mikaru managed to get both trays up here without spilling a drop was something only someone with her natural sense of balance could do. Kassari picked up the chopsticks and began digging in.

"So, what did I miss out on?" she asked in between mouthfuls of rice and chicken. She was curious as to what the pureblood was here for, though she had a pretty go idea what it was about.

"She wanted to enroll, said something about this school being interesting because she'd finally have other vampires to be with." Mikaru paused for a moment. "Do you believe her?"

Kassari let out a laugh. "Are you serious? I'm surprised that she even had the guts to go with that story."

Mikaru shrugged. "Well Kaien believed her but then again, I don't think he could've turned her down anyway." Kassari stared out the window, her gaze directed at the moon dormitory. The sun was setting and it was only just visible behind the spire of their clock tower.

"We have to go investigate." Kassari said abruptly. "We have to find out why another one of those...why another one of them is here; they certainly don't need another Kaname." Kassari saw Mikaru sigh.

"What if we get caught by Yuuki?" Kassari faltered for a minute.

"It doesn't matter." she said, facing away from Mikaru so that she couldn't see how hesitant she was on betraying Yuuki.

"You want to do this a lot right?" Kassari heard Mikaru ask. "And I haven't been myself lately; normally I'd be the one dragging you into things." Mikaru grab her hand. "Come on, let's go, the sun's gone down." Kassari grinned as her 'sister' pulled her towards the window.

"The door's that wa-" Kassari began but was silenced when Mikaru pulled open the window. A strong gale blew in, filling the room with frozen air. Kassari's hair blew in all directions, and Mikaru stood on the sill of the window and extended her hand to Kassari. "Doors are for people with no imaginations!" She laughed.

"Ready to do this?" She smiled at the prospect of another adventure. Cross academy was nice but she missed the thrill of running from something and living life on a whim. Kassari took Mikaru's hand and jumped onto the sill with her.

"Sure." As if that was a signal, Kassari felt Mikaru pull her forward and the next thing she realized, she was free falling through the air. She let out a laugh and felt her breath being dragged away from her body. Kassari landed soundly in the ground, just like she had done in the storeroom, legs bent to reduce the impact and her body crouched low to the ground. Even though she was a vampire, she enjoyed practicing these tactics. It made her feel like there was something on the line, and she enjoyed the danger. Kassari glanced over to Mikaru and she was in a similar position, smiling back. The cover of darkness had finally arrived, adding another weapon to Kassari's arsenal, impeccable vision. The academy looked different once the light had been taken away. The forest which normally glowed with warmth now looked like a malevolent spirit had taken over. Shadows seemed to move of their own accord and owl's hoots could be heard in the distance.

"Come on, the moon dormitory's this way." Mikaru called out to her softly. Kassari stood up and followed Mikaru through the forest. The leaves covered up the noise of their footsteps and trees hid them from sight. As approached the dormitory, Kassari felt a pain at the small of her back. She turned around and saw Yuuki pointing her Artemis at her back.

"The rules apply to you too, Kassari and Mikaru." Yuuki said jokingly. "I don't really fancy putting you guys in detention but if that's what the headmaster wants then-"

"Aren't you even going to ask us why we are out here Yuuki?" Kassari interrupted, pushing Artemis away from her back. "It's about the new girl Sara." Yuuki stiffened at the name and Kassari knew this was a weak point. "We think something's going on and we don't like it." Kassari saw Yuuki lower her weapon at this, her head bowed. Those hazel eyes looked genuinely hurt and it plunged a knife of guilt right at Kassari's heart.

"All right," Yuuki finally said. "I won't tell on you but on one condition." Yuuki's eyes flared up with determination. "You have to let me help you."

Kassari immediately refused. "We can't get you in trouble Yuuki. What will your father say?"

"I'm a guardian of this school! If there's something suspicious going on, then it's my job to do something." Yuuki retorted, Kassari seeing her getting truly angry for the first time. It made her falter but she wasn't going to let Yuuki sacrifice something that wasn't even her business.

"You could get expelled for this Yuuki! Doesn't that mean anything to you?" Kassari yelled, raising her voice unintentionally. Yuuki looked slightly frightened but she refused to back down.

"Doesn't it occur to you that I care about you guys? What if you get expelled and Yori gets taken away to be with a fiancé that she doesn't even love? I'll be left all alone!" She yelled back, tears forming in her eyes and she raised a hand to rub them away. Kassari was about to yell right back when she felt Mikaru place her hand in her shoulder.

"I think Yuuki should join us, she can get us into the moon dormitory without scaling walls. Don't tell me you forgot about the night warden?" Kassari blushed as she realized that their mission would be a lot easier with their friend tagging along. Yuuki had a triumphant smirk on her face as if she had just proved her point.

"Whatever," Kassari said, dismissing her as if she were a child. "Just don't get in the way." she added on jokingly.

"Come on," Mikaru scolded. "Don't be so mean to Yuuki."

Kassari turned around, mock disbelief on her face. "Mikaru! You're supposed to be on my side."

Mikaru pretended not to hear her. "Come on, we have to get to the moon dormitory don't we?" Yuuki nodded and so did Kassari. The dormitory was just ahead of them, the night class currently in the school, though Sara was probably given the day off.

"Okay," Kassari whispered to them. "Yuuki, you distract the night warden while Mikaru and I head in and look for Sara's room. Then you can come inside and help us look." Kassari added the last bit on reluctantly when she saw Yuuki was about to protest.

"Okay squad, let's move out." Mikaru joked and Yuuki went to confront the warden. When the warden's attention was fully on Yuuki, Mikaru dashed out with Kassari not following far behind. They pushed open the wooden door and shut it. Examining her surroundings, she saw just how truly rich these vampires were. It reminded her of her mansion back with her father and mother. Ancient Persian tapestries covered the elegantly panelled walls and a golden chandelier floated above the room. A red carpet lead to a curved stairway that split into two sets leading to presumably the girls and the boys dorms.

"Which one should we take?" Kassari asked Mikaru who was amazed by the luxury.

"If these vampires are like the ones in your estate then it should be on the right." Mikaru replied, pointing to the stair way.

Kassari looked at her friend strangely. "How would you know that?" She asked, nothing she had ever seen in her house had ever indicated that female vampires always slept on the right side of the house.

Mikaru sighed at her friend's obliviousness. "Your mother hated the afternoon sun yet loved the sun rise right? We are facing north right now so in order to see the sunrise yet avoid the sunset the window must face the east yet there must be a wall to the west." Mikaru told as if it was the most I obvious thing in the world.

"Well, then what are we waiting for?" Kassari said, silently walking up the stairs. At the end of the second flight, there was a dark wooden door with throned roses embossed in them. Kassari edged the door open and saw a white corridor. There were no fancy chandeliers and the only light came from the moon that floated in from lattice windows. There were a few couches lined along the walls and vases filled with flowers but it was relatively plain compared to the room they had just seen. There were four doors, two on each side with only one of them opened, light streamed out of the opening and Mikaru was just about to go and peak inside when Kassari held her back.

"What is it?" Mikaru asked softly.

"We should get inside through the windows." Kassari suggested. "At least we can get away quickly if she spots us." Mikaru sighed at the prospect of another climb but agreed anyway. Kassari pulled open one of the windows open and using the lattice as holds, scaled the wall. Only now did she realize how high the moon dormitory was. It was even higher than where their dorm peaked. The wind was even stronger than before and the framework shook violently. Clinging almost desperately onto the ivy, she edged herself closer to Sara's window. About a metre away, Kassari jumped off the lattice and her hands grasped the stone edge of Sara's window. She pulled her self along as she heard Mikaru and Yuuki follow her example. Kassari pulled herself up and looked around the room. There was a pure white, king sized bed with a canopy in the far side of the room. Next to it were two matching bedside tables .To the right of the room was a vanity with a chair. To the left was a low glass coffee table with cushions placed artistically on the floor. On one of them sat the butler which she had seen earlier today. Sara was wearing a silver bathrobe with her blonde hair wet and lying flat. She was pacing around the room talking to the butler about a plan.

"First thing I need to do is gain Kaname's trust and if possible, his love." Kassari heard Yuuki gasp at the comment but Mikaru shushed her. "I can't have another pureblood countering my every move, then I'll have to get some new vampires made, I'll get Kaname to do that so that if we're caught, I can solely blame him." Sara then paused for a moment and glanced towards the window. Kassari instinctively ducked but when she heard her continue to talk, she knew that Sara hadn't seen them. "I'll then over throw Cross and his stupid ideals of peace and turn all those fawning day class students into vampires. With Kaname's help, I will become queen of the vampires!" she finished her speech with a shout that seemed so unladylike from how she appeared. The butler raised his hand. "Yes, Sabanto?" she said, ice blue eyes focused on him entirely.

The man gulped deeply before questioning. "Why are you doing this all?" Sara leaned in closer to the man until their faces were almost touching. Kassari saw the man gulp deeply at the action and blush.

"Do you really want to know why Sabanto? It's because I don't want to lose the will to live like Juri and Haruka Kuran did. They committed suicide and left poor little Kaname all alone. I don't want to wait for something as pointless as that." Sara then moved away and towards her bed. "But in the end, even such trivial feelings don't come down to the truth; I just want to be queen with Kaname." She smiled sweetly at the butler. She then abruptly turned around to face the opposite direction. "I'm off to bed now." With that, Sara lay down on her bed and Kassari knew there would be no more information gathering for tonight.

"Let's go." Kassari murmured to the others, careful not to wake the sleeping princess. As Yuuki leapt off the windowsill and onto the lattice, Kassari began debating on how they would get in tomorrow night. Mikaru followed Yuuki and soon it was her turn and her thoughts were pulled away from the plan and back to reality. When the final windowsill was only a metre away from Yuuki, Kassari heard a blood curdling shriek. Yuuki's foothold had broken and she was now dangling by one hand. Kassari watched in horror as the pieces of wood splintered upon contact with the ground.

"Yuuki!" she yelled, not caring if she attracted Sara's attention. Mikaru was trying to get to Yuuki but Kassari could see she wouldn't be fast enough. The ivy on which Yuuki's hand was firmly grasped on snapped in half.

"Yuuki!" Mikaru screamed, trying to reach her friend as if there was actually a chance of grabbing her. Suddenly a pale hand grabbed Yuuki's wrist. Kassari looked into Zero's lavender eyes and saw the worry he had in them as he hauled Yuuki up into the hall. Kassari quickly climbed in and saw Yuuki being dragged out by Zero.

"Come on!" Mikaru whispered and they both rushed out after the pair. Kassari pushed passed the door just in time to see Zero leave the moon dormitory. Sprinting out the door, she was immediately hit by the cold air of the night. The night warden had fallen asleep and they sneaked passed him without trouble. Following Zero into the forest, Kassari struggled to keep up with him until Yuuki managed to snatch her wrist away from him.

"What the hell Zero?" Kassari yelled at him. "Why did you suddenly run away from us?" Zero turned to her and she flinched at the look of rage he had.

"You two almost got her killed! I don't care that you were trying to find out about the pureblood, you didn't have to involve her in it!" Kassari stood in shock at what she had just heard but she wasn't going to back down.

"She wanted to! And she needs to know about things as well! You can't keep her in the dark forever!"

"I don't keep her in the dark and I don't put her life in danger!" Zero retorted angrily, storming closer to her and grabbing the front of her shirt. "You may be my friend but if you ever put Yuuki in danger, I will not hesitate to make your life a living hell." Suddenly Yuuki intervened.

"Stop it you two! It was my decision-"

"Stay out of this Yuuki!" Zero yelled. "This doesn't involve you!"

"Yes it does! I don't get why you hate Kassari just because she helped me do something that I wanted to do." Yuuki rubbed the tears from her eyes and glared at Zero.

"It's not that." Zero said softly, letting go of Kassari's shirt.

"Then what is it about? Is it because she's a vampire?" Yuuki immediately placed her hand over her mouth straight after those words.

"A vampire?" He asked Kassari, hate laced with every word. "I trusted a freakin' vampire!" He pulled out a silver gun that Kassari knew was the bloody rose. "If you stay still, I might just forgive you before you die." Kassari saw Zero pull the trigger and a large blood red symbol came rushing towards her. She causally back-flipped over it and landed in a near by tree.

"Zero listen to me-" Kassari started but never finished as Zero fired another shot, tearing apart the branches as Kassari moved aside again.

"I don't listen to monsters." Kassari cringed at the word but didn't let it deter her from dodging the onslaught of shots that could've killed her at any moment. She glanced down at Zero while in mid air and saw Mikaru and Yuuki both trying to stop him.

"Get off me!" he yelled, elbowing Mikaru in the jaw and sending her into the next tree.

"Mikaru!" Yuuki cried, rushing over to her friend. Kassari gritted her teeth as she fled from the hunter she had gotten so close to in the past month. She ran out of the forest and onto the isolated part of the school oval. Kassari saw Zero land a few meters away.

"I'm not trying to hurt-" but she as cut off once again as Zero fired another bullet, the bloody rose sigil burning the grass it grazed. Kassari wasn't fast enough to dodge this one and the bullet collided with her arm, sending a wave of pain through her body. She rolled onto the grass and was about to stand up when she heard a gun reloading right next to her face. She looked up and saw Zero staring down anther with those emotionless eyes like he was just about to execute another level E.

"I can't believe I trusted you." he whispered, his voice filled with regret more than anger this time. As he closed his eyes, he didn't see her's turn red.

"I'm sorry Zero." She murmured before focusing on his shirt. The fabric burst into flames just like the wood at the winter festival that Matsuri went to. His eyes widened in surprise as he immediately went to put it out, Kassari kicked him in the stomach sending him flying. She struggled up as Yuuki and Mikaru arrived at the scene.

"Zero!" Yuuki ran over to him.

"Stay away from her." Zero told Yuuki who just shook her head.

"Zero, just because she's a vampire, doesn't mean I have to hate her, just like you." Yuuki sighed at Zero's stubbornness. "And Kassari," Yuuki added. "Can you put out the fire on Zero's arm now?" She nodded and a moment latter, the fire vanished. As Mikaru helped Kassari up, Zero walked over to her.

"Why are you here, we have a night class." Kassari batted him away.

"I'm not in the mood Zero." she spoke angrily. "After all, you did just shoot me in the arm."

Zero smirked. "And who just lit my shirt on fire?"

"It was self defence!"

"Okay you two mutually twisted souls, stop arguing, make up and be friends." Mikaru said seriously though a smile was evident on her face. The sun was rising slightly in the sky and it covered the school in a warm aura despite the revelations of last night.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

**I've been forgetting to put disclaimers in my fanfiction for a while so please excuse this late thingy. I do not own Vampire Knight or anything even remotely related to this story. I only own Mikaru and Kassari and the plot. Oh and Zero says that if you don't believe me, he won't kiss Yuuki. Take that fangirls!**

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><p>Kassari lay in her bed, the moonlight floating in through the panel. The moon acted like a spotlight, shining directly onto her face as if she were an actor instead of a girl trying to sleep. On the bed next to her Mikaru lay sound asleep. She thought back to the time when she first met the person she would come to trust with the biggest deception of her life.<p>

She had first met Mikaru when she was six and her mother had brought her to visit her friend. It was in a quiet suburban cafe where her father would've never even thought of looking. But that was to be expected. Kassari had never left the house before this moment due to the fact she was 'special'. Her father told her that she was special because she was almost a pureblood. Sure, she thought as her mother walked her to the cafe, she could set things on fire but couldn't other vampires do that? It hadn't made sense why she wasn't allowed out but then again, it wasn't as if it didn't come without bonuses. She could get the servants to do anything she wanted just by using what she had dubbed as her special voice. It often came with consequences when they finally stopped obeying her but it was fun all the same seeing them do embarrassing things such as head standing.

"Kassari, you're not allowed to set anything on fire or control anyone okay?" Her mother reminded her as if she had read the little girl's mind.

She pouted. "I'm not allowed to do anything am I?" She replied slightly cross. Her mother let out a laugh and ruffled her hair.

"Kassari, what did I do to deserve a daughter like you?" she exclaimed jokingly, her violet eyes shining. They looked exactly alike, same style hair and colour eyes. Kassari often got a million comments on how she would grow up to be a replica of her mother. Suddenly her mother took off, running down the street.

"Wait!" Kassari called following her, dodging the people.

"Tsuyo!" her mother yelled as she ran up to another lady. She was the same height as her mother and had the same complexion as well. They looked like sisters if it weren't for the fact that she had sparkling blue eyes that contrasted against her mother's violet. Tsuyo laughed and hugged Kassari's mother.

"Amani! Where have you been!" she said. Kassari looked at the two women confused. Her mother had hated the other aristocrats that her father had tried to pair her up with, yet here she was, chatting casually with one as if they had known each other forever.

"Kassari! Stop being so anti social!" her mother called.

"You'd be anti social too if you spent your whole life stuck indoors" Kassari muttered under her breath.

"Tsuyo, you have a daughter don't you?" She had turned her attention back to the lady. Kassari went to join her mother and saw that standing beside her was girl leaning on Tsuyo's leg. She looked exactly like her mother only she was smaller. She had a grin on her face and she walked up to Kassari.

"Hi! I'm Mikaru" She introduced "What's your name?"

"I'm Kassari. You look a lot like your mother." Kassari felt a little stupid for stating the blatantly obvious.

Mikaru pulled a face. "I know. I get that a lot. And you look a lot like your mum as well."

Kassari smiled at the comment. "Yeah I get that a lot. Do you like ice cream?" she asked as a very familiar tune filled the air. Mikaru's grin grew even wider.

"Sure!" A moment later, both children were sitting on the pavement, licking icy poles.

"So are you a vampire?" Kassari asked, as she took another lick of the sweet confectionary. Mikaru shook her head and took a small bite out of the lolly.

'"I'm a hunter actually. I deal with troublesome level E vampires." Mikaru smiled at the look of horror on Kassari's face.

"Don't worry, you aren't a level E. Anyway I don't hunt my friends."

"We're friends?" She asked. Mikaru nodded happily. "You bought me ice cream didn't you? I think whoever buys me ice cream is my friend. My mum says ice cream isn't the only thing that you look for in a friend. Apparently your friend needs to always make you smile, but ice cream makes everyone happy so I'm sticking with that for now." she said childishly. Kassari giggled and took a tentative bite of the ice cream. The warm spring sun was melting the ice cream at an accelerated rate and soon both had finished their ice creams. Kassari remembered an old trick she had practiced when she was bored.

"Watch this," she whispered to Mikaru and checked to make sure her mother wasn't spying on her. When all was clear, she focused on her stick and a flame slowly spread over the wood, blackening it and when the fire died, the stick crumbled into ash and Kassari dusted her hands free of the dust.

"Wow, I thought vampires being able to set things on fire was a myth." Mikaru exclaimed, still gaping at the pile of ash that lay in the road side. Kassari looked offended by the comment.

"And I thought hunters were just a bedtime story." Mikaru grinned and waved her hands in defeat.

"Mikaru! Kassari! We're going home now!" Mikaru immediately stood up and ran over to her mother while Kassari took her time.

"Can I visit Kassari some time?" Mikaru asked her mum, who laughed.

"Depends on whether Amani is willing to put up with you." she replied. "Sure you can, right Kassari?" Her mother turned to face her with the you-better-say-yes look but it wasn't necessary. Kassari was nodding furiously. She remembered that night her mother and father had a huge argument about allowing a hunter into their house. She disliked her father calling Mikaru that hunter but she didn't want to let them know that she was listening to them. Her mother eventually won the argument but things had never been the same.

Over the years, their friendship blossomed till the point where they trained together, honing each other's skills and learning how to work together. But that all changed when Kassari's mother died. A large group of berserk level Es went on a rampage and her mother was one of the unfortunates. The day of the funeral was one of the worst in her life. She could just picture it now, dressing in front of the large vanity her mother had placed in there with her dark clothes and dark expression. She had cried for the first time during the ceremony and Mikaru couldn't help her. She was made to stand in front of a large crowd and talk about her mother as if she weren't anything. What made it worse was that her father remained emotionless through it all, even when they were burying her, or what was left of a vampire. It was as almost as if they were given immortality in compensation for what remained of them after death. The day after the funeral, she received a knock at her window. Curious, she opened it and in jumped Mikaru. Her black hair was all over the place and her clothes were dirtied with grass stains. In a scratched hand, she held a black handbag.

"Why are you coming into my room this way?" Kassari asked astonished but Mikaru didn't seem to be paying attention.

"Do you have a place for me to hide?" she asked, scouring the room for suitable locations. Kassari grabbed Mikaru and turned her to face her.

"What are you doing, climbing through my window into my room?" Kassari asked her friend sharply who flinched.

"Listen," Mikaru whispered. "I'll explain later but I really need to hide!"

Kassari sighed in defeat and pointed to her en suite.

"Hide in there; I'll distract anyone who comes looking for you." Mikaru smiled gratefully at her friend before disappearing into the bathroom. As if it was all planned, her father's 'guards' came bursting in. They were actually his secret assassins that he had labelled such in order to keep suspicion from them. They were all male and dressed in black from head to toe like ninjas. As soon as they entered the room and saw Kassari in there, they dropped to their knees in a bow.

"Milady, have you seen a girl called Mikaru?" the leader asked. He was only identifiable from the others by a scarf of pure red wrapped into his mask. His voice was deep and gruff as if he had an eternal cold. He always fawned over her as if he was genuinely trying to be nice to her but Kassari knew better.

"Why would Mikaru be in here? If she had arrived, she would've gone in through the front door or gotten noticed trying to come in. Unless, that is, you haven't been doing your job right." Kassari accused in a demeaning tone that she reserved specially for them. If you could see them behind the wrappings, then she was sure the man's face was bright red.

"I'm sorry Milady it's just that your father would like us to keep an eye out for her." Kassari's gaze locked onto him at that sentence.

"Why would father be looking for Mikaru?"

"Uh," He stumbled, and Kassari took that moment to strike. Her eyes glowed red leaving him and all the rest unprepared.

"Tell me why my father is looking for Mikaru." Kassari spoke, being grateful for having such a useful power. Their eyes glowed as well, signifying that they were completely under her control.

"We don't know anything." They replied in a monotonous chorus. Kassari sighed and realized the spell on them.

"You are dismissed." she said exasperatedly, as if she were tired of them already. The leader opened his mouth to protest but Kassari's eyes grew red again.

"I told you to leave." They gulped and left the room. Kassari sighed and rubbed her temple. Her father was truly a pain to deal with especially when it involved Mikaru.

"You can come out now." She called to Mikaru who just left the bathroom, a sad look in her face. Kassari crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her friend. "Care to explain why my father's assassins are looking for you?"

"Your father doesn't want me talking to you or seeing you." Mikaru turned away and sat down on the big king sized bed. Kassari followed her.

"That's absurd! My father has never once barred your way when entering my household."

"That's what I thought too, I thought they didn't know me because they were new guards but then they said they received specific orders to keep me out. They said you didn't want to see me." Mikaru smiled sadly and swung her legs. "I knew you better than that so I went to check for myself, though I admit, climbing the tree and jumping into your room wasn't the best way to go." Kassari stood up suddenly and walked over to the door.

"I will go and confront my father about this." She was just about to leave when she felt her wrist being grabbed. Kassari turned around and saw Mikaru clinging on almost desperately. "What's wrong?" she asked, turning her attention away from the door and onto her. Kassari saw Mikaru bite her lip as if hesitant to do something.

"I think," She murmured. "That your father is worried about me, speaking to you."

Kassari stared at her in confusion. "Why would my father be worried about you? He was the one who gave my mother permission to let you visit me in the first place" Mikaru's grip loosened on Kassari's wrist and her arm fell to her side limp, giving Kassari the freedom to go but that wasn't what she wanted at the moment. She grabbed Mikaru by the shoulders and turned her to face her.

"Mikaru, please tell me what you are thinking. You're my friend and I need to know this. My father wouldn't just shut my friend out and if you have a reason, it's best that you tell me." Mikaru sighed and took a deep breath and turned to face her friend. Kassari noticed her sea blue eyes were dark with tears as she said what Kassari thought was the most horrific thing she had ever heard.

"I think your father murdered your mother." At that moment, the world froze. Movements seemed to slow until the reality dawned on her. "My family has been investigating your mother's murder because we were suspicious. Your mother was a very high level vampire and yet she died from level Es. So we studied the vampires and we discovered that..." Mikaru cast her eyes downwards as if ashamed. "They weren't level Es. They were level Cs, even one or two level Bs. They were probably trained to take out your mother as well as a few others to make it look random. And now that our family had figured this out he probably wanted us away from you." Kassari fell to her knees and held her hands to her face in a vain attempt to stop the tears from falling. She felt Mikaru hug her tightly and she couldn't help but reciprocate the action

"I hate him!" Kassari yelled hoarsely through the sobs as the tears raced down from her violet eyes. "Why did he take the only person in my life who didn't imprison me because of my powers?" As she removed her hands from her face, she saw Mikaru holding an ice cream.

"Here, let's just for the moment, let's pretend that we are as innocent as the day when we first met and thought that we could be friends without consequences." Mikaru whispered. Kassari managed a shaky smile as she accepted the lolly. She bit into it, realizing the flavour immediately. It was sweet yet salty.

"Just like tears." she whispered before taking another bite out of the sweet. It was like something always had to be different about her whether it was something simple to a friendship to something complicated like her mother's demise, there would never be an ordinary moment in her life.

It had been four years since Kassari discovered that earth shattering information about her father. Ever since then, she had become distant and formal to everyone apart from Mikaru. She had heard people gossip about whether she was coping but she knew that they knew nothing. Nothing about what she was planning to do. As she walked past a whispering group of maids and into her room, she looked around at the place that had been her dungeon for her entire life. It definitely wasn't made to look like one but it didn't change the fact. The pure white room with vanity, en suite and walk in wardrobe taunted her, as if tempting her to raze the whole thing to the ground. But tonight she was going to be free. She sat down on her bed and glanced at the black tote bag that sat there. It was such a stark contrast to everything else in the room that she couldn't help but stare at it. For years now, she and Mikaru had planned to leave for a place where they could be normal. They had spent countless hours speculating theories and pouring over every possible opportunity until they had found the one. Their saviour had come in the form of Cross academy, a private school isolated from the rest of the world with two classes, a day one and a night. All you had to do was pass an exam and an interview and you were in, no questions asked. But that was not the complete reason as to why they wanted to attend this school above anything else. There was one person that would guard this school better than anyone could. Kassari traced his title into the silk sheets of the bed.

"The vampire without fangs." Someone similar to Mikaru, a hunter with an abnormal amount of vampire genes in their body giving them control over how they aged and giving them physical strength almost equal to most aristocrats. He was the hunter association's most prized weapon but retired to form a school to prove that vampires and humans could co-exist peacefully. Kassari had to admit, she admired this hunter. After all, if she could learn to blend in with the crowd, she was sure her father's spies would never find her. A knock came at the window and Kassari opened it, knowing immediately who it was. Mikaru hopped down from the tree, a black backpack slung casually over her shoulder as if she were going camping not running away. She was already dressed in her day class uniform with the ribbon done up in her hair to show her signature sign of rebellion.

"Ready to go? The carriage is waiting and I don't think it will stay that way forever." Mikaru said, a tone of gentle teasing in her voice despite the seriousness of this situation. Kassari stood up off the bed and grabbed her bag.

"Sure, ready whenever you are." The climb down from the tree was steep but Kassari had faced worse when her father 'trained' her in their gym. Fear filled her body as countless possibilities as to why this wouldn't work filled her head. As her feet touched the ground, she glanced back up at the window, with its white curtains fluttering in the late autumn breeze and she almost felt some remorse for leaving it. But with the prospect of something new in her sight, she couldn't let sentimentality get in the way of her mission.

"Come on Kassari!" Mikaru half shouted, half whispered. "I swear you are still as slow as the day I met you." Kassari mock punched her friend in the shoulder as she followed her to the carriage. As they loaded their luggage into the boot, she threw one last glance at the place that she had always dreamt about leaving. Feeling some emotion welling up inside her, she did something completely unexpected. Raising her index finger as they drove off, Kassari was sure she had no regrets about leaving the place. After all, who would regret leaving a prison?

The dawn sun poured onto Kassari's face and she was woken from her thoughts. Yawning and stretching, she pulled aside the cotton covers that were no where near as expensive as the silk ones she had in her old manor but yet felt a million times better. She walked over and pulled open the window, letting the morning air in. Sitting down on the sill, she remembered how much her mother loved dawn as if she were human.

"One of the chief pleasures of being an aristocrat." Kassari quoted chuckling to herself at the joke. Another morning at Cross academy. No restrictions on who you talk to, no murders and no chains. "No wonder I wanted to come here."

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><p><strong>Review please! I've been feeling kinda lonely!<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey! Sorry for the long wait. Complications galore.**

**Anyway, this is the major, major Zeki filled chapter.**

**Enjoy!**

**I do not own Vampire Knight or anything affiliated with it. I only own the OCs. This is probably the one story where I can't say I own the plot. :(**

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><p>Kassari sat unamused on a bench in a clothes shop as Yuuki looked at every single dress in the shop, pulling each one out of the silver rack and giving it a critical look. She wore a grey tank top and shorts with her long hair pulled up messily into a half bun with sneakers while Yuuki wore a short sleeved top with three quarter jeans. Sighing in defeat at this store, she finally noticed Kassari. Crossing her arms over her chest at her friend's 'enthusiasm'.<p>

"Come on Kassari, you're supposed to be enjoying yourself. This has to be better than looking for a suit with Zero."

"At least Zero wouldn't go through every dress in the store." Kassari retorted, Yuuki looking slightly hurt at the comment.

"We need to look good for the ball! If you want to impress anybody, then it requires sacrifices!" Yuuki said, describing it in a similar way to a war tactician. But it was true; the Cross academy seasonal balls was one students throughout the day class looked forward to solely thanks to the appearance of the glamorous night class. Girls spent hours in front of the mirror perfecting their look while guys even took the time to look for just the right suit. Unfortunately, neither Mikaru nor Kassari had any interest what so ever in the activity and if it weren't for their little puppy eyed friend, they wouldn't be even attending the event. "By the way, where is Mikaru?" Yuuki wondered out loud. Searching the shop for her, she noticed her blue eyed friend chatting casually to a shop assistant.

"So, you think this is good for people with purple eyes?" Mikaru asked the shop assistant as she ran her fingers over a lilac piece. The lady nodded furiously, her blonde hair falling out of her bun as Mikaru let her eyes run over it another time. She wore a short sleeved jacket and black cargos that made her eyes look even brighter. Mikaru picked the dress off the rack with her choice and was just about to confront Kassari when she heard a high pitched shriek. Glancing in the general direction of the sound, Mikaru felt her jaw drop. Before her, was Yuuki in a dress. It was made of a black and purple corset with frills trimming the edges and the skirt was layered and made almost entirely of lace apart from the bottom layer. Mikaru saw Kassari look on in horror and knew that it was her that would have to explain to Kaien why his 'innocent' daughter was wearing a corset. Yuuki blushed at both looks.

"Does it look that bad?" she asked meekly.

"No!" they both replied simultaneously. Yuuki shot them a confused look.

"Then why do you two look so horrified?" Mikaru gulped at the thought of explaining to Yuuki why wearing a corset was considered inappropriate for girls her age.

"It's just that," Mikaru began.

"What are you wearing Yuuki!" Zero shouted from the door way of the shop. He was wearing a blue long sleeved jacket and white shirt with beige pants. He held a white paper bag with a name scrawled in fancy text which held his suit. Zero looked astonished at the sight of Yuuki, this causing a furious blush to grow in her face. Suddenly, a very evil plot formed in both girls' minds.

"You know," Mikaru started off. "I think that looks very good on you." Zero looked at her as if she were speaking a different language while a smile lit up Yuuki's face.

"You should wear it to the ball." Kassari added in, trying to keep a smile on her face. That smile grew even wider and Zero's discomfort continued to grow.

"Yuuki," he growled. "Kaien will kill me."

"Don't worry! I'll just call him dad." Yuuki replied calmly a happy smile on her face. Mikaru smiled as Zero desperately searched for any legitimate excuse to get Yuuki away from that dress. No kind of hunter training could've prepared him for this.

"So Yuuki, do you want to pay for the dress now?" Mikaru asked, pulling put her wallet and snapping the final hold on sanity that Zero had. After shopping for a suit, seeing Kaname there and then to come here and find the girl of his dreams in a corset, his patience was already running thin. Barging through the shop, he grabbed hold of Mikaru's wrist and dragged her away muttering darkly to Kassari that he was 'borrowing' her. Kassari chuckled evilly to herself and checked off a mental checklist. Get Zero embarrassed, check.

Mikaru followed Zero placidly to the food court where she was sure a heart to heart conversation was going to take place.

"What on earth were you doing in there?" He yelled, his lavender eyes filled with rage. "Getting her into a corset in front of the night class is not going to keep her safe from those blood sucking monsters."

"Zero! Calm down. You look like a raving lunatic." Mikaru said, trying to relax him. "Have you lost your mind? I'm acting like this because of that...stunt that you pulled in the shop" Mikaru felt like slapping him. "For goodness sake Zero, she's a grown girl, she can look after herself." Zero slammed his fist down on the table in frustration. Why did girls have to be so hard to talk to?

"I have to protect her-"

Mikaru sighed exasperatedly. "From what? This is the safest place she'll ever be around vampires. Hell! She's safer there than in that shop with Kassari. Stop worrying about her Zero. She can wear what she wants and do what she wants. Start treating her like a grown woman."

"I do-" Zero tried to get in but Mikaru cut him off.

"No you don't, you still see her as the little girl who took care of you and I get that you want to repay the debt but seriously! It's blinding you to a very obvious fault. You can't even see that she's trying to impress you." Mikaru knew the last line would have her victory sealed and it was confirmed when a light blush passed over Zero's face. But for some reason a look of sorrow was also there.

"She isn't doing this for me, it's for that pure blood Kaname." he muttered darkly.

"And there we have your problem." Mikaru said, leaning back into her chair. Zero looked at her confused and Mikaru let out another sigh. "See," she explained. "You always view yourself inferior to Kaname and that's where you let yourself down. Girls love a guy with confidence, one who buys them gifts and leads them in the dancing. Someone who won't back down and is polite, have you realized that Kaname acts like that? That's why Yuuki's attracted to him even though she does like you. And eventually, he or someone even better will sweep her off her feet and you will never see your beloved Yuuki again." Mikaru then stood up and grabbed her bag with Kassari's dress. "Well I'm going to go back and tell Yuuki not to buy a dress. If you can take a hint, you know what to do." With that, Mikaru walked back to the shop leaving Zero still confused, but he made enough sense to realize he had to do something. He stood up and made his way to one of the expensive dress shops that Yuuki always wanted to go to yet her allowance never permitted her. Pulling out Kaien's credit card, he sighed deeply to himself. His foster father had given it to him and told him to use it on whatever he wanted, but it only applied if Zero decided to stay back a year and go to Cross Academy. He was now grateful that he was as infatuated with Yuuki back then as he was now.

"Yuuki, you better appreciate this." He mumbled before stepping inside the store.

When Mikaru returned to the shop, she was almost bombarded with questions from Yuuki all at once.

"Where were you? I was just about to buy the dress and then Zero stole you!" Yuuki cried as if buying the dress were a matter of life and death. Mikaru glanced at Kassari who sat on the bench messing with her phone. Silently pulling hers out while half listening to Yuuki; she began texting Kassari.

"Zero's buying Yuuki a dress. You have to help me convince her not to get anything." she pressed the green button and turned her attention back to Yuuki who was still ranting about her disappearance.

"So can we get the dress now?" Yuuki asked almost pleadingly. Mikaru looked over at Kassari who came up behind Yuuki.

"Hey, do you guys want to go for parfait or something?" She suggested, knowing Yuuki's weakness for all things sweet.

"Yes!" Yuuki shouted before running off to the food court. Kassari turned to Mikaru with a triumphant grin.

"Now you are going to tell me everything you and Zero talked about." As they slowly made the way through the mass of people Mikaru explained her plan to Kassari.

"I think we should get Zero and Yuuki together. It's better than her getting with Kaname." Kassari shivered at the thought of her friend being with a pureblood.

"And they suit each other. Yuuki's so bubbly and childish while Zero's dark and sensible." Kassari thought out loud. They arrived at the centre and saw Yuuki waiting impatiently.

"You guys are so slow!" she yelled, attracting the attention of the whole court.

"Stop yelling Yuuki!" Kassari said irritated but you could tell that she adored her little friend. Mikaru ordered three parfaits and they sat down. Yuuki dug into hers right away, not even pausing at the incredulous looks she got from people around her.

"I think she broke a record." Mikaru whispered in awe. Kassari could only nod as Yuuki signalled to the waiter to bring her another one.

"Mikaru is paying right?" Yuuki asked, finally managing to tear her eyes of the desert.

"And if I'm not?" Mikaru asked coyly. At these words, Yuuki sunk into depression.

"There goes my allowance." She mumbled, head hanging in shame. Mikaru laughed at the reaction and Kassari couldn't help smile.

"Don't worry, I'm paying but you better not bankrupt me." Mikaru joked and the light came back into Yuuki's eyes.

"Another one please!" Yuuki called out to the waiter as if she were in a bar.

"I don't believe her stomach." Kassari muttered before taking a small bite out of the pastry and shuddering slightly. "It's really sweet. How can she eat it?" Mikaru smiled and shrugged unknowingly.

"The mystery of Yuuki Cross remains unsolved." The two cracked up laughing and Yuuki glanced at them, cross for a moment but she couldn't stay unhappy for too long with an unlimited supply of parfait. Soon, the sun was setting and Yuuki became extremely distressed at the fact that she didn't have a dress. Since night was when the majority of the vampire population came out, all day class students were requested back at their dorms by sun down for their own safety. They were walking Yuuki to her dorm and she was the most upset they had ever seen her.

"Come on Yuuki, it's not that bad." Mikaru tried desperately to cheer her up. "After all, you still can get something from Yori's closet." Yuuki let out an exasperated sigh and pulled open her dorm door. Mikaru heard Kassari let out a small laugh and Yuuki gasp visibly. Yuuki and Yori's room appeared normal like always, with a larger wardrobe and study desks. But lying almost like it belonged there was a beautifully wrapped package. It was a rectangular box with a black and white stripped lid topped with a pale pink ribbon. Yuuki cautiously lifted the lid and Mikaru saw a few tears form in her friend's eyes. And she peaked over Yuuki's shoulder and into the box and was astonished at what was in there. It was a pure white gown with long flowing sleeves reminiscent of an olden day dress. The neckline dipped to a respectable depth with a lace covering. The body was modelled after a bodice as a white ribbon braided itself into the front and the edges of the piece were frilled with crimped silk. The skirt fell neatly to her knees, giving enough room to dance around in. A silken head band made out of lace was the only accessory and it suited it perfectly. Also with the dress, was a letter with a white rose left on the top.

"For true love," Mikaru heard Yuuki whisper and a light blush tainted her pale skin. She picked up the letter and opened it.

Dear Yuuki-hime,

You'll probably never know who I am but I hope you enjoy the dress.

Wear it to the ball tonight and maybe you'll see how pretty you really are and how you deserve someone better than a Prince to sweep you off your feet.

But I guess that means I have absolutely no chance what so ever.

Never the less, I'll be there princess.

Sincerely from,

Your vampire knight.

"Does that mean he's a vampire?" Yuuki asked, still blushing at the note and gift. Kassari nodded and pulled the dress out of the box and swung it around.

"Yuuki will really look like a princess in this! I wonder who's trying to win our little Yuuki's heart!" Kassari sang, imitating the head master.

"More like he'd stab anyone who tried to hit on his innocent little daughter." Mikaru called as Kassari twirled.

"Guys! Stop making fun of me!" She cried but her eyes told a completely different story.

"Fine, we'll leave the princess to get ready for the ball." Mikaru mock bowing to Yuuki who ushered them out of her dorm.

"Come on Kassari, we've got to get ready too." Mikaru said, walking up the flight of stairs that led to their dorm.

"Do I have to?" Kassari complained. "I absolutely despise dressing up."

"So do I." Mikaru replied, opening the door to their room and throwing the bag onto the bed. "But for Yuuki and Zero's sake, we must look our best."

"I still can believe Zero is so poetic." Kassari murmured, walking towards the wardrobe to get out a dress shirt when she felt something hurtling towards her. Raising one hand without looking, she caught the piece of clothing and examined it. It was a light lavender dress with its sleeves on the sides. A slightly darker cloth belt was sewn into the dress. The skirt was made up of three layers of chiffon. Wrapped in among the gown was a dark purple head band with a fabric rose adorning it. Kassari looked at Mikaru skeptically.

"You really bought me a dress?" she asked, disbelief lacing every word. Mikaru smiled cheekily and nodded. Sighing deeply, Mikaru watched as Kassari stumbled half heartedly into the bathroom to get changed. Mikaru then turned to her own outfit. Having a mother who was human did have it's upsides, though getting dragged into every clothes shop she passed wasn't one she immediately recognized as a gift. All the time spent in those stores had some how imprinted an impeccable sense of fashion into Mikaru's head along next to all the weaponology she needed to know in order to be a hunter. She let out a deep breath and dragged a sky blue gown out. It had two silk ribbons tied around the neck to hold the piece together and it hugged her body while it swung loosely around her knees. Pulling it on quickly, she slipped of the buckled dress shoes which were the school standard and pulled on a pair of blue converses, the rebellion in this outfit, just like in every other thing she wore. The sound of a door opening woke her from her thoughts as she turned to see Kassari walk out of the bathroom.

"Don't be so grumpy," Mikaru said, "you look fine." Kassari rolled her eyes and turned away from her.

"You know I hate being all prim and neat. It's like I have to be my father's little princess all over again." She explained matter-of-factly. Mikaru sighed as she dragged her friend out the door.

"Come on, we have to pick up Yuuki, it's almost time for the ball to start anyway. And knowing her, she'll probably want to look around for her vampire knight." Kassari reluctantly followed, as they made their way down the steps. About half way through, Mikaru felt Kassari collide with her back and they were both sent tumbling.

"Why on earth did you fall on me?" Mikaru yelled, rubbing her temple softly.

"Stupid heels." Kassari muttered darkly and Mikaru noticed the three inch stilettos that Kassari had picked out to go with her outfit.

"Jeez," Mikaru sighed. "So much for practicality." Kassari glared at her as she helped her up and they continued the journey to Yuuki's room. Knocking gently on the door, Mikaru only had to wait a few seconds before Yuuki answered. Her chocolate hair was slightly wet, and her body shone from the moisture creating the image of a princess. She wore the dress perfectly, looking like the angel it was meant for. Mikaru gaped and Kassari clapped.

"You...you look amazing." Mikaru stammered at Yuuki who flushed lightly. Suddenly a chorus of singing filled the air.

"Oh my little baby girl is all grown up!" The head master sang at an abnormally high pitch. He forced his way through Kassari and Mikaru and picked Yuuki up in a tight hug.

"You look so amazing! Where did you get that dress from?" He asked, golden eyes shinning bright with tears. Yuuki smile uncomfortably in the hug and began to explain in a calm tone.

"It came from an admirer called the vampire knight." Before she had even finished her sentence, Kaien had switched from I'm-so-proud-of-my-little-girl mode to I'm-going-to-kill-the-person-who-hit-on-my-daughter mode.

"Yuuki," Kaien said in a deadly tone. "Tell daddy where this vampire knight is so that dad can go and kill him." The comical evil glint in his eye would've been funny if Kaien had not happened to be holding a chainsaw at that moment. Kassari and Mikaru started to back away when Yuuki pulled her trump card over him.

"But dad..." She said and immediately, the headmaster melted into a pool of sentimental mush the floor. Leaping over him, she joined Kassari and Mikaru who looked bewildered at the state of the headmaster on the ground. Following their gaze, she giggled.

"Don't worry about him; he'll be fine in a few moments." Taking a few steps forward, she spun around and offered both her hands to the duo. "Come on, we have to find my vampire knight don't we?" Mikaru grinned and took one hand and they walked through the crowd. The school had turned into a spectacle of fine dresses and colours. Make up was being applied and hair was being fixed as Yuuki expertly navigated her way through the sea of people.

"Is it like this every year?" Kassari asked after being bumped by a student for what must have been the billionth time. Yuuki glanced behind and nodded.

"Every single year, all the students try to catch the night class's eye. It's like a tradition. Unfortunately, they never seem to get anywhere." Yuuki sighed as if she felt sorry for these girls. "I really hope they find someone they can truly be with." Yuuki spoke in a far off voice as if she was dreaming of something.

"Like how you're going to be with your vampire knight?" Mikaru asked cheekily earning a glare from Yuuki.

"All...all I want to do is thank him for the dress." She stammered another blush forcing its way onto her face. Yuuki power walked her way to the gym unconsciously making Mikaru and Kassari jog lightly in order to keep up with her. Standing at the entrance, keeping an eye out for any suspicious behaviour was Zero. Mikaru could see the astonished look on Yuuki's face when she saw him and she definitely knew that all was going to plan. Zero looked stunning in a white blazer and pants. Under the coat, he wore a grey and blue stripped top with black cufflinks. Instead of a tie, he had a black ribbon wrapped around his neck with a silver dahlia brooch holding it all together. When he saw Yuuki a blush flitted across his face but he regained composure and walked over to them.

"Hey." He said politely to them, trying to ignore Yuuki's gaping mouth at his attire. He had been getting that reaction from pretty much everybody. Even a few day class girls had started giggling when they passed him, heck, one even asked him to dance with her. He declined of course, he was waiting for someone special and that someone was staring at him oddly.

"What?" He asked a little coldly, snapping Yuuki out of her phase. "Wow Zero, I've never seen you dress up." Yuuki said, feeling her heart beat race. Why was she feeling like this about him? Kassari saw the signs and looped her arm around Mikaru's.

"Well, we'll be leaving now. Enjoy the dance Yuuki and Zero!" Kassari ran off and disappeared into the crowd, blending in among the other dancers.

"Kassari!" Yuuki yelled knowing it was futile. Turning her eyes back to Zero she felt that familiar feeling that she had often experienced when she was around Kaname. Zero offered her his hand.

"Would you like to dance?" Yuuki smiled and placed hers into his. Zero smiled warmly and led her out onto the floor. Spot lights covered the floor, shedding the entire room in a soft pink aura. Zero held Yuuki's hand tightly as he saw another boy looking at her. Suddenly, a large spot light fell in them.

"Okay! Welcome to our seasonal winter ball!" Zero cringed at the sound of the head master's voice. He turned his attention away from Yuuki and to the stage where he saw the headmaster in respectable clothing. Kaien wore a black tailored coat with a white dress shirt with beige pants and black shoes. While dressed professionally, his carefree attitude was still the same. He had a microphone in his hand and the cord wound around his fingers like a pop star.

"To start off our night of fun, let's have the two guardians of our school take it to the floor, Zero Kiriyu and Yuuki Cross!" The students around them cleared and Yuuki felt herself blush uncontrollably. Whispers were going around the gym about how they were the perfect couple and she clung tightly to his arm. Zero felt his breathing hitch at that movement but continued to stay rigidly still until he saw Kaien give him a glare. Sighing he took Yuuki up into a waltz position and led her to the middle of the floor. Zero heard the music fill the air but all his concentration was on the brunette in front of him. She was beautiful and the dress swayed with her every move. How he wished he could've told her that he was her knight. The pace quickened and Zero swept across the floor, slowly merging the waltz with a jive to match the slightly upbeat rhythm of the tune. Yuuki followed his every action, sweeping across the floor gracefully. He twirled her and he felt something in his heart soar, something he hadn't felt since he had become a vampire. The type of feeling he only got around Yuuki. The song's volume dropped as Kaien made another announcement.

"And next onto the floor is our very own president of the night class, Kaname Kuran and his date, Sara Shirabuki!" The spotlight flickered to the stairs along with Yuuki's gaze. The sight was spectacular yet it broke her heart. Kaname stepped out onto the floor with Sara in his arms. He wore the exact same suit as Zero and the look of mutual hatred passed over her head. Sara wore a long chiffon gown with a split running down the middle. It had a high neck and long trailing tails that made Yuuki nervous about stepping on them. Kaname barely spared a glance at her and his gaze was trained on Sara the entire time.

"Ignore it." she heard Zero whisper into her ear. "You're here to have fun, not pine over him." Yuuki looked up into Zero's entrancing lilac eyes and saw the warm humour behind them. She knew a side of Zero that no one else had uncovered and he was prepared to show his vulnerable side to the world in order to keep her smiling. She pushed a lock of silver hair out of his face and smiled. They kept on dancing, taking no notice of the couple a few meters away. After the song had ended, other couples slowly filled the floor and Yuuki soon lost sight of Sara and Kaname. She let Zero lead her away from all the dancers and out onto the balcony. The chilly night air blew through the air, whipping Yuuki's hair around her face. The stars were easily visible from there and a pond lay beneath the balcony. The full moon shone brightly while its reflection wavered in the water and Yuuki couldn't help but lean on the balustrade to admire the view.

"You okay?" Zero asked, temporarily stunning Yuuki for a moment.

"I'll be fine Zero." She replied smiling. "It's not like I had a chance with a pureblood anyway." Zero looked at her face and saw the hidden sorrow in her eyes. He hated that. She was always looking out for other people regardless of how she truly felt. Feeling he had to do something, he pulled her across the balcony and down the steps.

"Zero! We are supposed to be at the dance!" Yuuki protested.

"Take a chance Yuuki. It's not like Kaien will notice us anyway." Zero continued, taking her out to the back gate. Yuuki looked at him as he started to climb over the wall.

"Hey! We aren't allowed to do that!" she yelled as he sat on top of the wall a leg on each side.

"Come up Yuuki!" He called, mischief dancing in his eyes. "We'll be back before the headmaster even thinks about us." He extended his arm to her again. "Trust me." Yuuki hesitated for a moment, an image of Kaname flashing through her mind and what he would say. But that doubt only lasted for a minute as she grabbed hold of Zero's hand and he pulled her up. Dropping down to the ground, he held his arms up and Yuuki fell into them.

"Why do you always insist on jumping down off high places?" Zero asked as he held Yuuki in his arms.

"Because it's fun!" Yuuki protested. "You should try it so time too." Zero laughed and put her down.

"Yeah and who's going to catch me?"

"I will!" Yuuki yelled, giggling. He affectionately patted her head and this time she made no move to brush him away.

"Come on Yuuki. We're going to the city." Yuuki grabbed his hand and they began the walk to the town. The paved path from Cross academy led out to a main road which Zero followed to get to the heart of the city. The street was filled with people and objects alike, many who looked at the pair and cooed. Zero felt Yuuki hold onto his hand tightly and his heart sped up.

"Zero, I received a package from someone today. He called himself the vampire knight." Yuuki looked up at him and she realized his eyes were on her the whole time. "Do you know who this person is?" Zero scratched his head.

"I know the person but I think he wants to remain unknown."

"But I need to thank him for the dress!" Yuuki pleaded with a voice that Zero could never say no to.

"Fine, do you want to talk about it in a cafe?" He asked. Before he finished his sentence, Yuuki's expression had changed dramatically.

"Can I have a parfait?" She asked and Zero nodded. "Yes!" Yuuki yelled running to the food court when Zero grabbed her hand.

"We're going that way Yuuki." He said pointing in the opposite direction. Yuuki followed him unsure but when she saw where they went, she was amazed. It was a high end cafe where Yuuki only dreamed of going. The stuff there was expensive but apparently it was the stuff of dreams. So when Zero opened the door, she was sure that this was a dream.

"Zero! That place is really expensive! How are you going to pay for it?" She asked, following him into the place. Zero sighed and turned around.

"Since when do you worry about the price of things?"

"Hey!" She said defensively. "I just don't want to end up in jail." Zero laughed as the waiter seated them and Yuuki got a good look at the room. The table was square and marble while the stools were chocolate brown. Modern chandeliers hung from the ceiling by wires and filled the room with a warm light. The floor was panelled with dark wood and Yuuki absentmindedly clicked the heel of her shoe on it. Zero signalled the waiter and ordered and Yuuki watched him. The suit was still perfect despite the climb over and his hair was casual as usual. He had done nothing different except put on some new clothes yet, somehow, she felt as if she liked him.

"Maybe it's just your true feelings coming out." A little voice in the back if her head called.

"No! I like Kaname senpai...don't I?" The voice laughed at that thought.

"Come on, Zero's always been there for you and he's not that bad looking. Why don't you give him a chance?" Yuuki was thoroughly embarrassed by what she thought. Zero saw her fidgeting.

"What's the matter?"

"Um," Yuuki stuttered, wracking her brain to come up with some kind of excuse but as usual, it deserted her when she needed it most. A long silence stretched between them until Yuuki finally came up with something. "I was wondering who the vampire knight was." Zero leaned forward and propped his head on his hands.

"Okay, I'll give you a clue. You've known him for a very long time." Yuuki pulled out a napkin and a pen and began writing. Yuuki began writing down the names of all the night class students. She immediately crossed out Kain, Aido and Shiki.

"But that doesn't tell who it is!" She protested when she realized she still had two people on her list. Ichijo and Kaname were the only ones left on her list. It could be Ichijo; after all, he had known her because he would watch her run up to Kaname. And Kaname, she didn't even want to think about that. He was so confusing! And Zero wasn't any better either, not giving her a straight answer. The food arrived and Zero sipped his coffee while Yuuki took a bite out of her parfait. It was better than anything she had ever tasted. The sugar was perfect and there was even confectionary but she couldn't get her mind off the mystery and Zero. Once they finished, Zero paid and they walked down to the harbor.

"So have you figured it out yet?" He asked, eyes looking at her. It was something he never would admit but he would do anything for the girl in front of him. He'd be willing to use what little was left of his life if only to protect her. Zero felt the searing pain of the tattoo reminding him that he didn't have to much time left with her. But then again, he could never have enough time to spend with her. Zero chuckled out loud, grabbing Yuuki's attention.

"What are you laughing at?" She asked, as they arrived at harbor, Zero sat down on the grassy slope a few meters away from the water.

"I just remembered there's a fireworks show tonight." He felt Yuuki sit down beside him and rest her head in his shoulder just as the first rocket exploded into the night. It came down onto the river in trails of silver and gold and Zero heard Yuuki gasp at the beauty. More rockets were sent into the sky and soon the night was filled with the false stars. Zero had never enjoyed fireworks as a child but now he could understand why Yuuki always used to pester the headmaster to take them to watch it. The sparkling beauty that rained down upon the world truly was magical and Zero placed an arm around Yuuki and pulled her closer.

"Zero," She whispered, yawning deeply. "I just want to thank you for everything." Zero stared at her astonished but his expression softened.

"You don't need to, you are already enough compensation." He whispered into her ear. Yuuki moved around a bit until she was facing Zero.

"But I always end up messing up things. Zero even had to buy me a dress." She murmured sleepily. Zero was stared in shock at the girl who rested so peacefully on his shoulder. Moonlight lit up her face, giving it an other worldly beauty. Smiling warmly, he leant in closer to her, until there were only a few centimetres between their faces. Zero leant in further and kissed her just as the last firework rained down on the crowd. Yuuki's eye went wide in surprise and a blush filled her face. As he moved away, Zero stared into those hazel eyes and felt his heart quicken. There was no way he was going to let Kaname have her, even if he couldn't have her himself. Yuuki yawned again, snapping him out of his thoughts. Picking her up bridal style, he walked back to Cross academy slowly. He didn't want this night to end because in the morning, everything would have to go back to the way it was. He climbed over the wall and laid her back on her bed. Brushing a lock of brown hair away from her face, he was about to go when he felt a small grip on his arm. He spun around and saw Yuuki holding onto his sleeve.

"Don't go Zero." Yuuki murmured in her sleep. Zero let another smile slip onto his face and pulled up a chair.

"Okay hime." The moon shone on the sleeping couple's features, showing how peaceful they looked when they were just with each other. The white rose lay on the bedside table as if showing that they were a symbol of its meaning. True and unconditional love, for now and forever

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><p><strong>So, did you like it?<strong>

**This was a very hard chapter to write, I had to sit myself infront of the Titanic with a tub of Vanilla ice cream just to write this! **

**Be grateful!**

**Anyway, Review or Zero gets it!(Actually, I'll probably be the one to get it...)**


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